"Two hundred of England's worst-performing primary schools will be closed next year and re-opened as academies, the government is to say. Education Secretary Michael Gove says this will force schools which have failed to get their pupils to expected levels in maths and English to improve… Another 500 will be told they have three years to improve their standards." – BBC

"Speaking to head teachers at the National College for School Leadership, Mr Gove will criticise the ‘low expectations culture’ in some schools. He is set to say Britain risks losing ground to rapidly-developing economies in Asia unless the pace of improvement in the education system is accelerated." – Daily Mail

Michael Gove’s plans for education don’t allow for a moment’s pause – James Forsyth in The Spectator

"After the embarrassment over NHS reform, fears of a second backlash from health professionals and the spectre of public sector strikes this summer, the Prime Minister’s commitment to “transform” public services is being postponed. Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office Minister, who has been working on the plan, told The Times yesterday that it would be out “within months”, an acknowledgement that even if the White Paper is published in September, the reform cannot possibly come into effect until next year… Indecision about the timing of the paper centres on a dispute between Steve Hilton, the Prime Minister’s chief strategist, and George Osborne on the pace of reform." – The Times (£)

"The chancellor, George Osborne, has set out plans to tackle the "British dilemma", saying the country needed a settlement with the City that would keep London as a global financial centre without putting the rest of the economy at risk. Adopting a conciliatory approach to bankers in his Mansion House address, the chancellor sought to draw a line under the financial crisis by announcing the sale of Northern Rock." – The Guardian

Britain in the middle of seven lean years, says Sir Mervyn King – Daily Telegraph

"George Osborne has been politically astute in backing ring-fencing, but financially smart in not endorsing a separation of investment and retail banking" – Times (£) editorial

…as Ed Balls calls for an emergency tax cut…

"Shadow chancellor Ed Balls is to use a major policy speech to call for a temporary emergency tax cut to stimulate the economy. He will say acting now to counter the slowdown is a better option than "ploughing on and hoping for the best". Mr Balls says the economy needs a jump start and a tax cut would boost consumer confidence." – BBC

"The Labour leader is drawing up new tests to ensure a future government cracks down on waste in public spending, mirroring David Miliband’s call for the party to say “no to mean government and yes to lean government”. The move is a tacit admission that Labour did not always spend wisely in office, although Mr Miliband will stop short of a full mea culpa." – The Times (£)

Tory MPs criticise extra £9bn for IMF

"Britain has committed £9 billion more to the International Monetary Fund in order to shore up crisis-ridden economies such as Greece. Documents reveal that the Government has agreed to almost double its “subscription” from £10.5 billion to just under £20 billion. Angry Conservative MPs said that the money was needed at home. But a Treasury spokesman said they had got “all the facts wrong” on the UK’s membership of the fund." – The Times (£)

"Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said he will form a new cabinet Thursday and seek a vote of confidence from his fractious Socialist party to see through a harsh austerity bill, the target of major protests." – Reuters

"Britain is facing the largest wave of strikes since the 1980s as about 750,000 public-sector employees stage a protest against threatened changes to their pensions. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union yesterday announced that its members had voted to join teachers and university lecturers in a one-day co-ordinated walk-out on 30 June." – The Independent

Serious criminals could still get 50% off jail terms as Cameron and Clarke thrash out deal – Daily Mail

Benedict Brogan: Tory principles drive David Cameron's resolve to help the world's poor

"As the chief executive of UK plc, the Prime Minister has a duty to the nation’s shareholders to deliver sustainable growth and create jobs, while keeping in line with society and its expectations. He calculates that a small investment in improving the condition of some of the benighted parts of the world can produce vast returns for Britain in the form of increased security, trade, diplomatic clout and goodwill… A recent survey of Tory members by the ConservativeHome website found that as Mr Cameron’s aid policy was explained, opposition fell away." – Benedict Brogan in the Daily Telegraph

Please use the thread below to provide links to news topics likely to be of interest to ConservativeHome readers and to comment on political topics that haven’t been given their own blog. Read our comments policy.